Kathy Liebler                         Director of Public Information

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    Contact: Lowman S. Henry (717) 939-9551, ext. #2934                 March 18, 1998

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PA TURNPIKE COMMISSION APPROVES CONTRACTS
FOR BREEZEWOOD INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS

(Harrisburg) -- The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has approved a series of four contracts totaling $16.4 million for improvements and upgrades to the Breezewood Interchange in East Providence Township, Bedford County. Work on the projects is expected to begin in April and is targeted for completion by October 1, 1999.

The Dick Corporation of Large, Pennsylvania was awarded the general contract at $15,288,050.12. Plumbing for the project will be done by K & K Plumbing, Inc. of Johnstown for $170,000.00; Lighthouse Electric, Inc. of Canonsburg will do electrical work for $730,000.00; and heating, ventilation and air conditioning at the plaza will be installed by Marc-Service, Inc. of Windber for $194,691.00.

The existing toll facility, including the toll booths, canopy and utility building will be demolished. A new utility building and toll plaza area with four (4) entry, seven (7) exit lanes will be built at approximately the same location. A utility tunnel will be constructed connecting the new utility building and the new toll booths. Portions of the existing interchange roadway will be removed, the plaza area will be widened, and three parking lots will be constructed.

Toll plaza operations will be maintained throughout the construction period. All entry and exit lanes will be available for use by travelers during peak traffic hours and on holidays.

As part of the roadway work to be performed, the Dick Corporation will remove a bridge which currently carries Township Road 412 (Windsweep Lane) over the Turnpike west of the interchange. Windsweep Lane will be relocated to connect with State Route 2029 (East Mattie Road). A ramp bridge over the Turnpike's mainline will be rehabilitated, while an existing bridge over East Mattie Road will be replaced with two parallel bridges. The connector road from the plaza to U.S. Route 30 will be milled and overlayed (repaved).

The project also includes connecting the interchange to the township's sanitary sewer system. Currently the facility is serviced by a septic system. When completed, the interchange will feature all new lighting, pavement markings, guide rail, median barriers, traffic control, and signing.

"The Breezewood Interchange project is part of the Turnpike's ongoing effort to upgrade our facilities to provide the highest level of service possible to our customers," said turnpike Executive Director John T. Durbin. Rehabilitation and construction work is also currently underway at the Carlisle Interchange in Cumberland County and at the Lehigh Valley Interchange in Lehigh County.

The last major improvements to the Breezewood Interchange were completed in October of 1970 when the interchange was expanded from four to ten lanes as part of the Ray's Hill and Sideling Hill tunnel by-pass project.

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